


Candyland's Surprises

by CatrinaSL



Series: A Simple Device [45]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Barney and Friends References, F/M, Looney Tunes References, Pranks and Practical Jokes, SHIP DARCY WITH ALL THE THINGS, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Tony Stark Does What He Wants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 07:46:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7039090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatrinaSL/pseuds/CatrinaSL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce ignores the purple dinosaur until Doctor Foster gets back. Then he meets his Soulmate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Candyland's Surprises

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaos/gifts).



> This fic is for chaos, both because they are awesome and because they provided the words.
> 
> Soulmate AU Reminder: Everyone has a Soulmark, a tattoo of the first words their Soulmate will say to them. Showing someone else your Soulmark is like baring your soul to them, so most people only show their Soulmate or very trusted friends.

It had been a while since he'd played it, but Bruce didn't remember Candyland having a purple dinosaur. "Come by the Tower sometime," Tony had said. "The top ten floors are R&D you'd love it."

But when he got there, the lab was already half full of someone else's equipment. And occupied by the slightly creepy toy. Since it was on an out-of-the-way shelf, Bruce moved his stuff in and forgot his initial unease enough so that he could completely ignore it and enjoying his science thoroughly.

One month later, the lab's other occupants returned. Bruce was thrilled to meet Doctor Foster; he had been looking forward to working with her ever since Tony told him who he would be sharing a lab with. Her assistant was still hauling things in (more equipment! Bruce thought they might need a bigger lab), so he and the astrophysicist chatted, comparing degrees and institutions and name dropping colleagues.

"Ugh," Foster's assistant groaned as she slid a laptop bag onto a nearby table. "Jane, that thing still here! I thought I told His Almightly Ferrousness to get rid of it!" 

Bruce looked across the room and saw that she was objecting to the presence of the smiling dinosaur. He gave Doctor Foster a questioning look as her assistant leaned down to start unpacking a box.

"Should I...?" he asked, heading over to it.

"I think it's Stark's version of a prank;" Foster explained. "We've never seen him touch it, but every time Darcy tries to toss it out, it's back on the table, and we have to move it, and it—"

Bruce reached for it, and suddenly Foster's assistant stuck her head up and started yelling. "Never, ever touch the thingy on pain of—" but Bruce had already begun to lift it off the shelf. 

The second he touched it, the dinosaur had started to wiggle and pipe out a little tune. 

_ Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal! _

"Ohmygod, really stop touching the stupid thing and making it sing that song!"

Bruce didn't think it was  _ that _ bad.

_ Send me a kiss by wire, baby, my heart's on fire! _

"Darcy..."

"I swear to Thor," Foster's assistant continued, "Who thought that was a good song to use for a demented purple dinosaur?"

_ If you refuse me, honey, you lose me, then you'll be left alone! _

"Like seriously, I blame Tony."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize," Bruce said, holding it out and staring at it. "You'd think it would be the theme song though, right?"

_ Oh, baby, telephone, and tell me I'm your own! _

"Uhh..." Doctor Foster gaped, looking from Bruce to her assistant. "Darcy, isn't that—"

"Yeah," Darcy said, staring at Bruce.

"I think I'll probably keep it, though, if that's okay," he said, tucking it under his arm. "I mean, I know you hate it, but..." he shrugged and smiled at his Soulmate. "It's kind of a keepsake now."

"We can always unpack tomorrow," Doctor Foster said. "I probably should decide where I want everything first, anyway."

"Yeah," her assistant agreed. Then she stepped over and grabbed Bruce's arm, calling, "Later!" as she dragged him out of the lab.

"Where are we going?" he asked as she hit the button for the elevator.

"Upstairs," she replied. "I have to thank stupid Tony Stark for his stupid singing dinosaur and my Soulmate. Then, I dunno. Coffee or lunch or something, I guess. Fair warning: I'm going to want to hold hands later."

Bruce smiled. "That sounds nice."

She gave him a sideways glance, then pulled him into the elevator with her and tapped the button for the top floor.

"I'm Darcy Lewis," she said, staring at the doors as they closed.

"Bruce Banner," he replied, and she relaxed her hold on him, resting her head on his shoulder and turning it into a friendly arm hug instead of a death grip.

"It's nice to meet you," she said as the elevator came to a stop.

"You too."

_ Oh, baby, telephone, and tell me I'm your own! _

**Author's Note:**

> Tony's Barney does not dance like the main character in [One Froggy Evening](https://youtu.be/evgEJlOPoeo), it just does a little side to side jig. Still drives Darcy nuts. Forever.
> 
> [Reblog on tumblr](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com/post/145256679958/candylands-surprises)
> 
> Tumblr: [catrinasl](http://catrinasl.tumblr.com)
> 
> Twitter: [@Catrina_SL](http://twitter.com/Catrina_SL)


End file.
